“We are really fortunate that we have no shortage of employers who want to be involved in this career fair and who have openings,” Coughlan said.

Even the jobs outlook in the federal government is looking up, she added.

“The idea that the federal government is not hiring — well, that’s not the case,” she said. “It really is picking up, especially for veterans.”

Last year at this time, the national unemployment rate among veterans was 12.7 percent, Coughlan said. Today, it’s 6.3 percent.

The picture isn’t as rosy for military spouses, who still face a 10 percent unemployment rate.

“I moved three times in three years,” said Coughlan, who’s married to a Seabee diver. “It’s tough for military spouses. It’s hard to build a career if you have to move like that. I’ve been lucky, because I have skills that are transferable.”

The FFSC recently revamped its spouse employment class to emphasize “employment on wheels,” focusing on the most transferable skills and educating spouses on the careers that are the most mobile.

Coughlan said 26 of 50 states have signed on to a program that allows recognition of out-of-state certification of military spouses in certain career fields, such as teaching, health services and finance. California, however, is not one of those states.

The military has also made huge strides in preparing active-duty personnel for civilian careers, Coughlan said. Transition programs are now mandatory, and there is a separate track for those who want to pursue higher education. The classes are being taken one to two years out, and many are taking them more than once.

The bottom line, Coughlan said, is that more and more people are seeing the military as the perfect job-training site.

“A lot of folks doing the hiring these days view the military as a positive experience,” Coughlan said.